The refrigerator light goes on...

I grew up eating okra and particularly love it. My mother would make it the old fashioned way Ė cooked to heck and gone. When a friend of mine gave me some okra I wanted to find something that even those who think they donít like okra can love.

This is it. None of the gooey texture that you associate with okra along with a tart, creamy, spicy sauce. Delicious and 7 grams of fiber per serving!

Buttermilk : Make Your Own

If you are caught without any buttermilk you can make it easily by using 1 cup of skim milk and a tablespoon of any acid. Using white vinegar or lemon juice will work and these add more tartness. Using a tablespoon of cream of tartar will work as well and this will not be quite as acidic.

Seared Okra with Buttermilk Glaze

Servings = 4 | Serving size =4 ounces okra

Cooking Time = 60 Minutes

This recipe can be multiplied by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

This recipe does make very good leftovers, especially chilled for picnics.

1/3 cup

low fat buttermilk

1/2

lime (juiced)

1 Tbsp

peach preserves

1/4 Tbsp

hot sauce (like Tabasco or Crystal)

1/4 tsp

salt

1/8 tsp

fresh ground black pepper

2 lbs

fresh okra

1 quart

water

spray oil

Place the buttermilk, lime juice, peach preserves, Tabasco, salt and pepper in a blender or mini-chopper.

Puree until smooth.

Place the buttermilk mixture in a small sauce pan over medium heat.

Cook slowly and do not allow to simmer for about 20 minutes until reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk frequently.

While the glaze is cooking, skewer the okra with long wooden skewers. Use two skewers about 1 1/2 inches apart so that the okra looks like rungs on a ladder.

Place the water in a shallow skillet fitted with a steamer basket over high heat. Cover.

When the water is boiling, add the okra skewers and steam for 12 minutes.

Place a flat griddle over high heat. When the griddle is hot, spray with the oil.

Place the okra skewers on the griddle and cook on each side for about ten minutes.